The National Academy for the Gifted, the first private online K-12 gifted school, has just opened its doors. Learn more about their innovative approach.

[ClickPress, Tue Apr 03 2007] A new private school is making waves in the education world. The National Academy for the Gifted is the first online private K-12 school to focus specifically on educating the millions of gifted children world-wide.

Studies show that over fifteen percent of gifted children in America end up dropping out of high school. Founder Mimi Rothschild believes that the public school’s mishandling and mislabeling of gifted children is responsible for this shocking figure and has decided to do something about it.

“It’s clear that gifted students need more than increased funding,” says Mimi Rothschild. "We offer our gifted homeschoolers an education that matches their abilities and meets them where they are.” Many American teachers have not been trained in gifted education. The teachers of The National Academy for the Gifted undergo a rigorous training process during which they learn how to teach in a gifted homeschooling context.

Having been a gifted child herself, Rothschild knows what it's like to go through a traditional education program as a gifted student. “I was bored for almost the entirety of my twelve years of formal education. Worse, I was disciplined for having excess energy. I firmly believe that many children who have been diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, and other behavioral 'disorders' are, in reality, gifted children who have been mislabeled.”

The courses offered by The National Academy for the Gifted allow students to advance academically as far and quickly as they are able throughout the year. Unbound by grade levels or rigid guidelines, gifted children are free to learn according to their own abilities rather than having to move with the rest of the class. Rothschild believes that this unique learning structure will revolutionize the way that people view gifted education.

“We believe that giftedness and intellect are not synonymous. There is a wide spectrum of giftedness that includes several types of intelligences. We offer hands-on science experiments for tactile/kinesthetic learners, audio books for auditory learners, educational videos for visual learners, class discussions, forums, and a Social Center for interpersonal learners, much more,” says Rothschild. “We treat a child’s giftedness not as an arbitrary number but as a seed. We lovingly cultivate every seed with water, sunlight, and rich soil so that one day it grows into a tall, strong, fruitful tree. Every child is nurtured according to his/her unique learning needs.”

“The National Academy for the Gifted is not just for intellectually gifted students. There is an entire spectrum of giftedness that is sometimes ignored by educators. Thousands of highly gifted children have unique needs that are not being met. This gifted homeschooling program is an answer to this dilemma,” says Rothschild.

The National Academy for the Gifted is an online nationally accredited K-12 private school. Offering 120+ accredited, multimedia-rich courses, a giftedness assessment program, and high school diplomas, The National Academy for the Gifted uses cutting-edge technology to bring private gifted education into the home for the first time.

Learn more about The National Academy for the Gifted at www.TheNationalAcademyForTheGifted.org.